The 115th Boston Marathon took place on Monday, 18 April with eight RCSI students and one staff member competing in this most prestigious road race. The oldest and largest marathon, Boston, succeeds in attracting an average of 26,000 runners annually.

RCSI's participation in the event is facilitated by Dr John V Coyle (RCSI Class of ‘62) a serving member of the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) and recipient of the 2002 RCSI Distinguished Graduates Award.

This year, the team comprised of Gillian Burke (Ireland), Emily Callery (Canada), Simon Clifford (Ireland), Sarah Kwan (Canada) , Kailyn Kwong (Canada), Sinead Maguire (USA), Peter Tormey (Ireland) , Jordan Veenstra (Canada) and Corriena Brien from Student Services. The girls came back this year in full force as last year the team was dominated by the boys with no female runners represented.

First to cross the finish line for RCSI was Jordan Veenstra (Canada), with an impressive time of 3'17'. For his efforts, Jordan was presented with the John V Coyle perpetual trophy.

Commenting on the tour and the race itself, Corriena Brien, Student Services Manager, said: "It was a privilege to run this great race with our amazing students. They were true ambassadors for RCSI and deserve so much praise and recognition. Running a marathon is no easy feat! This year was special because for the first time we raised funds for Breast Cancer Ireland - so every mile had meaning.

"Combining the training required for a marathon alongside study commitments is challenging for our students. Nonetheless they all put in the miles and sacrifices required and success was achieved on the day," Corriena added.

Corriena and the team would like to sincerely thank both staff and students who sponsored their fundraising efforts. They recognise that numerous charities are seeking sponsorship and holding fundraising events on a daily basis and they appreciate the generosity and support of all those who contributed.